All These Things That I've Done
by punkmagicfairy
Summary: Peyton Sawyer comes back to Tree Hill after 5 years, with her son. Her father is dying. She thought that it would be so much more easier to be in her hometown but in fact, it's really hard for her. Especially when ghost from the past are haunting her. Is she stronger enough to survive everything?
1. Chapter 1

Peyton Sawyer had everything she wanted: an good career in the Clothes Over Bro's offices, loving friends and most importantly, a wonderful son. Described in one sentence, her life looks like a fairtytale but she had to sacrifice a lot of things and to work really hard to get all this success. After a tough summer between her Junior Year and Senior Year where she met her biological mother, her relationship with her father became difficult especially when she found out that he lied to her for many years about her adoption. Everything got worse when her birth mother, Elizabeth Harp, left randomly after their relationship got a little bit better. She couldn't handle another departure. After she met Pete Wentz at the launching of the "Friends With Benefits" album where Elizabeth was supposed to stand by her side, she choose to follow him. Right after she had recovered from the famous Tree Hill High School shooting, she took a plane and joined Pete in Los Angeles. She left everything behind her: her studies, her cheerleading squad, her friends and most importantly her longtime best friend Brooke Davis and her father, Larry Sawyer. In Los Angeles, she finished her High School at home but she also found out that she was pregnant. Only two weeks after her arrival in Hollywood, her life changed forever. Pete who also became her boyfriend helped her but it didn't last forever. Two months after the birth of her son, Charlie Sawyer, she moved in New York City and joined Brooke Davis who moved there after High School. Pete couldn't handle spending time with a baby that he wasn't the father of.

She was really proud of her son. He is such an intelligent boy for a 4-years-old. Brooke Davis was happy to be a godmother as much as Larry was to have a grandson even if his daughter was maybe too young for this. That birth never became an important topic in Tree Hill because Brooke and Larry kept the secret until Peyton became a bit more popular. After all, she was working for one of the biggest company in the world: Clothes Over Bro's. Brooke hired her because her best friend had no money to raise her son. She became a website creator and designer, a social medias specialist. She lived in a beautiful apartment in Manhattan with Brooke and Charlie. She liked her job but it wasn't her dream career. She wanted to be a label owner, she wanted to work with people like NOFX and the Foo Fighters.

The past four years were very challenging for Peyton but she handled them perfectly. Her "happiness" ended when Larry Sawyer landed in New York in September to announce that he was sick, very sick. Mr. Sawyer was diagnosed with a stomach cancer. Peyton was in shock and hurt by the new. At that moment, Brooke was back in Tree Hill because she couldn't handle her mother, Victoria and missed her life in Tree Hill a lot. When he was about to return to Tree Hill, Peyton felt really bad to let her father down but he wanted his daughter to take care of her career and her son. Unfortunately, when November started, Peyton got a phone call from Brooke. Larry was admitted to hospital because his cancer got worst. As a good friend, Brooke offered a new job for Peyton in the Tree Hill store and she moved back there.

The road has been long and stressful for Peyton. She packed everything she had in New York City. When she got into the small town of North Carolina, she drove to the hospital. She wanted to make sure that her father was okay. Charlie couldn't understand what was going on, he seemed calm and happy. She looked at her son, trying to cheer herself up.

"Baby.. Grandpa is not doing well." Peyton said. "Stay calm and don't worry, he will be happy to see you."

"It's okay mom." The little boy said.

Charlie looked a lot like his mother. He had her eyes and her curvy hair. He was a calm boy who loved music and being alone. He loved his mother a lot and was very close to Larry and Brooke. He even made Victoria Davis' heart melt. She felt like a grandmother to him even if she was a dragon lady with her own daughter and Peyton.

They entered into the hospital and Peyton was on the verge of tears. She was worried about her father who has been an amazing guy. She asked where was the room he was staying at. When they got there, Peyton saw her father and tried to not cry because of her son. Her father was in a bed and looked so thin, so sick. She never saw her father like that. She didn't know how to react. The blond-haired thought about her mother, Anna, who passed away when she was a child. She didn't want to feel this again with her father.

"Hi Dad." She said while sitting on the chair beside his bed.

He smiled. "Hi darling, how are you?"

"I'm good." Peyton said. She looked at her son. "Say hi to grandpa, boy."

"Hi grandpa, I missed you."

He looked so innocent. Charlie didn't know what's going on yet and maybe he was too young to learn about all of this. He climbed in the bed beside his grandfather and hugged him. Peyton's heart was melting even if she was heartbroken and destroyed by the situation.

"Hey buddy, take my iPod and listen to some music, I need to talk with grandpa." Peyton announced.

"Okay mom." Charlie said innocently.

While Charlie was obeying his mother, Peyton took his father's hand and looked at him in the eyes. She felt helpless.

She was shaking. "Did you speak to the doctors?"

"I did." Larry's voice was weak. "They told me that it's a day-to-day thing but I won't be with you next summer. It is possible to beat the odds but the chances are questionable."

"Dad.. I.. I don't know what I will do without you." Peyton started to cry. "Tell me that you will be here for Thanksgiving and Christmas, tell me that you will able to see Charlie grow up. Tell me that, please daddy."

"I know how much you are strong Peyton, you'll accomplish many great things." Larry said, softly. "When we adopted you, Anna and I knew that you would be a treasure."

"But that doesn't answer the question dad, how much time do you have?" She asked again.

He slowly stood up and approached his daughter. "Maybe five or six months, we don't know yet."

"I want to enjoy every second I'll have with you. When are you going back home?" She questioned.

"There's something that you need to know Peyton.." He started. "When I got the diagnosis, I talked with my friends which are Deborah, Karen, Andy and even.. Ellie. We came to the conclusion that the best thing for me was to be with someone permanently."

"Are you trying to tell me that Ellie is in town and you're now friends with?" Peyton couldn't believe that she heard."

"Let me finish, please." Larry continued. "Since Dan is in prison and stuff, Deborah is alone and I'm now living with her. She's taking care of me. Probably one of the greatest friends I have here."

"What's happening with our house? Why are you friend with the person that you couldn't stand years ago?"

There's things that Peyton couldn't understand unfortunately. She has been so far away from Tree Hill and her father never updated her about what was going on in the town. When he left his job because he felt like he should retire, he stayed in Tree Hill. That's all she knew.

"The house is yours, if you want. For Ellie.. well, I won't tell her that you're back but you should talk with her honestly. When you'll be ready." He admitted.

"No way that I will do it.. I can't believe what's going on right now." Peyton looked angry. She didn't know what was going on unfortunately. "Dad.. You know how I feel about her, you know how much she hurt me.."

"Some things have changed Peyton, you need to understand. You're not seventeen anymore." He raised his voice. Larry seemed a little bit upset. "Take some time to think about it Peyton, I needed people beside me."

Peyton stood up. "Are you trying to tell me that I wasn't there enough for you?"

A huge silence settled. She looked everywhere and was about to explode. It was like she just got a bomb in the face. Peyton had never imagined such a scenario when she entered the hospital. She moved from the bed, approached her son who was sit in a chair listening to music. He looked at her and pulled off the headphones.

He smiled. "What's up mommy?"

"It's time to go baby boy, let's go see aunt Brooke." Peyton said in a hurry.

She looked at Larry. "I'll come back tomorrow."

"Peyton.. Wait." Larry begged.

"Goodbye dad."

Peyton left the hospital room so fast that Charlie didn't have time to say goodbye to his grandfather. She held her son's hand and walked very fast. She was angry, she didn't know how to feel about it. Why did she overreact? For sure there was things that were hard to explain. Peyton has been psychologically hurt through her life. She tried to forget everything with the years but coming back in Tree Hill reminded her how hard it was for her in the past, especially before she left. Ellie had a huge impact of her life. When she left, she felt betrayed.

As soon as they got into The Comet, Peyton decided to go to the Clothes Over Bro's store. She needed to see Brooke Davis so badly. In Brooke's last text message, she told her that it was located right beside Karen's Café, a place she knew very well.

It was Peyton's first day in Tree Hill and it has been a total mess already.

* * *

 **Here's the first chapter of this new fanfiction,**  
 **I hope you'll enjoy it.**

 **See you soon and leave a review if you want. It's always nice to see people's opinion. (:**


	2. Chapter 2

Peyton Sawyer parked her car right in front of Brooke Davis' store. She took her son off the car and they entered into the boutique. It was past 5 pm and the store was closed but she knew that Brooke was still working. She was a hardworker and her car was in front too. As soon as she heard the noises coming from the door, Brooke approached. She was overjoyed to see her best friend and her godson. She ran to them, hugged them.

"Finally you guys are here, I was wondering where the well were you." Brooke said happily.

"I'm so sorry Brooke, I went to see my dad." Peyton apologized. "I need to talk to you about this Brooke."

Brooke looked at Charlie. "Why don't you join Millicent in the back store, I'm sure she missed you, baby Sawyer."

Charlie nodded. He wasn't a complicated boy. Brooke held her best friend's shoulders. They sat on a little sofa in the middle of the store. It was a fashionable place and Peyton felt good in it.

Brooke looked at Peyton seriously. "What's going on , is everything okay?"

"Not really Brooke.. I kinda fucked up things with my dad." Peyton explained. "Everything was okay but he told me everything.. you know.. living with Deb and stuff.. then he told me that Ellie was here and she was in his life.. I got upset." That's the way Peyton resumed things to her friend.

"Well, I understand that it makes you upset. I told Larry about that once." Brooke said. "I met Ellie when I came back here, she didn't say anything special to me but I saw that she was close to Larry and I asked him if he was doing the right thing." She breathed, looked everywhere. "He told me that he was, that he needed people around him, that he became friend with.. well.. Karen, Deb and Andy. Also Ellie."

Peyton knew that she could trust Brooke. She used to visit Larry three times a week when Peyton was still in New York City for work. He was like a father to Brooke.

"Does anyone know about Charlie?" Peyton asked. "I mean.."

Brooke nodded. "Only Deborah and she hasn't tell anyone, it was easier for your father since they are.. you know.. roomies?"

Peyton laughed a bit. "It's hard to imagine that my dad and Deb are roommates but, okay."

"Is there anything I can do for you ?" Brooke questioned.

"Well.. I don't feel like going back in my old place right now, I was wondering if you have any rooms left in your house for Charlie and your coolest friend?"

Brooke laughed so hard. She approached her best friend and hugged her. "I'd sleep on my own couch for you guys."

"Thank you so much, I love you and I owe you a lot." Peyton admitted. "Could you text me your address and keep Charlie with you, I'd like to be alone for some minutes."

Brooke smiled. "Yeah sure, I'll check on baby Sawyer."

"I'll drive around the town, don't worry about me I'll get at your house around 7pm-ish."

Brooke nodded and Peyton left the store fast. She got into her car and pulled off the street. She drove around Tree Hill like she used to do before. She was sure that some people could recognize her unusual car. The Comet had a long story in Tree Hill. She went in front of her old High School and many memories came back. One of them was when they did the Midnight Madness at the beginning of the Senior year. There are so many memories coming from the basketball matches she attended as a cheerleader, coming from all the time she spent with Brooke, Haley, Nathan, Skills, Mouth and Lucas. Some others memories aren't that good. She couldn't forget the day she got shot during the High School shooting. She was so scared to die.

After a few minutes spent in the parking of Tree Hill High, she decided to go somewhere else. Somewhere that she hasn't been to since five years. Peyton drove to the graveyard. She wanted to sit on her mother's grave and she wanted to talk to her even if she couldn't get any answers. It was the way that she could express her feelings. When she got there, she walked to the grave. Nothing had changed. it was still the same and she knew where she was going.

When she saw the grave, she felt weird. She knew that she would let go so many emotions. And in fact, she needed it. She sat down and breathe.

"Hi mom. It's been a while isn't it? I was wondering if you're doing okay.. but I guess.. oh never mind you know, it was a stupid question to ask." Peyton laughed stressfully. "So many things have changed since the last time I came here, you won't even believe it. First of all, you're now a grandmother. His name is Charlie and he is the most amazing human on this planet. He's brilliant, calm and such a gentleman already." Peyton smirked. "I've got a job, a good one. Thanks to Brooke, uh? I owe her everything I have. She probably saved Charlie and I when he was just a new born. But now.. I don't know what I wanna do. Maybe if you can see what's going on from up above, you saw that dad is not doing good. In fact, I think you'll be reunited together and I don't know how to feel about it. I'm sure he is suffering a lot right now but I don't want to let him go even if he pissed me off so much today." She thought for a few seconds. "I wish he was in good shape, that he could see his grandson growing up and share a bunch of memories with him. But it won't happen. Charlie will miss someone important, someone that could change his life as daddy changed mine. Plus, Charlie won't get to know you but I'll share your memory with him. I want him to know that Anna Rebecca was one of the greatest and inspiring woman to me."

Peyton Sawyer stayed on her mother's grave for a few more minutes. She looked at her cellphone and saw the address that Brooke texted her. She drove right to the house. The blond-haired was surprised to see that it was a huge house close to the beach. She knocked to the door and Brooke finally opened it.

"Welcome home, skinny blonde chick." Brooke said, wearing a cook apron. Charlie appeared in the back.

"Wow! That's.. that outfit is so gross on you." Peyton laughed as she entered in the house. "This is so beautiful Brooke, you must be so proud of yourself ."

"Thanks best friend. My home is your home." Brooke smiled. "Your room is close to the kitchen while your son will sleep in one of the guest rooms upstairs until I have time to paint something for him and Jamie."

"Who's Jamie?" Peyton questioned.

Brooke seemed surprised. "My other godson. Nathan and Haley's son. He's two months younger than Charlie."

"Oh.. I didn't know that Haley and Nathan had a son, you should have told me about that." Peyton exclaimed.

"As you used to say, Tree Hill is full of surprises Peyton, but now.. let's just enjoy this night together." Brooke said.

They sat together for the whole evening. Brooke and Peyton told many stories to Charlie. He was laughing. It was like the good old time for a short moment but reality would hit them somehow. Their lives are not the same as it used to be before, both girls drew their paths. They couldn't go back. And that's a thing that Peyton Sawyer wish she could take control of.

When Peyton woke up the next morning, she felt completely wasted. She drank maybe a little bit too much wine but it was worth it. She had a blast with her best friend. The only thing that confused her: not waking up in Manhattan with all the noises around Time Square. She could hear the noises of the sea instead. She noticed that Brooke and Charlie were still sleeping so she decided to go back to the hospital to see her father again. She regretted the way she acted the day before.

Peyton got dressed in a black dress and sneakers, didn't care about her messy hair and got wrote a short note to Brooke. Then she got out and left for the hospital.

When she arrived to the room, she took a deep breathe and entered. Her father was reading the newspaper, he looked better than he did the day before but not in the bestest shape.

"Good morning dad." Peyton said. "I wanted to apologize for last night."

Larry smiled. "It's okay.. I should have told you about everything.."

"Let's just not talk about it okay, let's just enjoy every second spent together."

"You are right." He looked at his daughter while she was sitting beside him. "I'm going back at Deborah's house probably at the end of the day. I feel a little bit better."

"That's good to hear." Peyton held her father's hand. "I haven't been home. I slept at Brooke's yesterday, Charlie was still sleeping when I left."

"You should go back in your stuff, your room is like you left it

She laid beside her father like she used to do when she was a child. For some minutes, she felt like the young and vulnerable Peyton Sawyer. She just needed to be protected by her father. The blond-haired started to cry. Larry would be gone in less than a year and she would be alone with her son. That was scary. ." Larry said. "I wanted you to comeback home, Peyton."


	3. Chapter 3

Brooke Davis was in a hurry. Her day has been a total mess and she couldn't do anything to change it. When she woke up with a hangover, she saw that her best friend was gone to see her father. It was okay until Victoria, her mother and co-worker, called her because she missed two meetings. She had to dress up her godson and to bring him with her at the Clothes Over Bro's store. Millicent Huxtable, her personal assistant took care of the little boy while she tried to set up her things.

Fortunately, the day went quickly but at 4pm, she started to stress out. Peyton has been missing the whole day, she was probably with her father but she should have picked up her son. Brooke had a big evening coming. She had a dinner with her friends but didn't want to bring Charlie or invite Peyton because that's what Peyton would want. She wanted to take time for everything. She finally asked her mother to take Charlie with her and to bring him at Brooke's until Peyton get home.

Around 6pm, she left her store. Millicent would close without any problems. Brooke got into her Range Rover and drove to the Scott house. Haley James Scott and Nathan Scott decided to held a dinner with friends and family members. Lucas Scott, Karen Roe, her daughter Lily, Andy Hargrove and Deborah Scott would be there too. When she got there, she was stressed. She didn't like to hide things to her good friends, especially when it comes to Peyton's case. Brooke has always protected her best friend, no matter what, but she deeply thinks that she should see them again.

Brooke entered the house without knocking like she used to do. Haley and Nathan were used to it. Brooke was an explosive girl, a very good friend for them. She saw everyone in the living room. They were talking and drinking wine. She saw her second godson, James Lucas Scott playing with Lily Roe Scott. Her heart was melting.

"Brooke!" Haley shouted. "Finally, you're here."

Brooke smiled. "Yeah, sorry. I got a pretty tough day. I'd drink a whole bottle of wine."

Everyone laughed. Brooke sat down beside Nathan Scott, her long time friend. She dropped her handbag and looked at her cellphone. She noticed that Peyton texted her:

 **Peyton:** _I'm sorry, I was with Larry. He's doing okay, brought him back at Deborah's house. She's absent so I'm gonna stay with him for an hour._ _Love you x_

Brooke was relieved. At least she knew where Peyton was. She was overprotective with her friend. She knew that she went through tough time.

Karen Roe looked at Brooke. "You look rushed today, hope everything is okay."

"Yeah, don't worry." She said calmly. "There are some days like that, you know?"

"What about Peyton? Larry told me that she visited him yesterday." Deborah wondered.

Brooke looked surprised and uncomfortable. "Well.. She didn't want to be rushed either. She wanted to keep it secret for now, she just want to spend time with her father as much as she can." She was trying to protect her friend. She did not want her to look like a bad person. After all, they were all her friends. She just needed time to prepare herself to tell them everything and especially to introduce them to her son.

"Wow.. I didn't know that Peyton was in town." Haley said surprisingly. "I hope she's doing good."

"It's tough for her.. You know how much she likes Larry, uh?" Brooke explained. "But guys.. let's not talk about it.. I mean, let's respect Peyton for now."

Nathan knew what Brooke insinuated. "Don't worry, no one here will tell Ellie about it."

While Nathan was talking, Brooke got many text messages in a row. They were all coming from Peyton again. She was freaking out.

 **Peyton:** _Brooke, my dad told me that you were with Nathan, Haley and everyone._ _Tell me you didn't bring Charlie with you._

 _BROOKE ?_

 _BROOKE PLEASE._

 _Answer me a.s.a.p. Please Brooke._

 _I'M WORRIED FOR MY SON._

The brunette felt really bad for Peyton. Her friend had difficulties to handle her emotions. She knew that she was probably dying of stress right now. She felt bad to give up on her while she was having tough time but this dinner was planned for a while. At some point, Brooke wanted to leave. She knew that the whole topic during the dinner would be Peyton Sawyer and she didn't want to be involved in it.

Lucas Scott seemed curious. "What's going on? Your phone seems busy."

"That's my mom, there's an emergency at the store." Brooke lied. "Our providers came late and she has to handle everything, she's freaking out."

"Then I think you should join her, you know how Victoria can be awful sometimes." Haley laughed. "We will do another get together soon and Peyton could join us if she wants, what do you think?"

"That's a great idea." Brooke didn't look enthusiast. "I'm sorry guys, I gotta go."

Brooke said goodbye to her friends and left very fast. She felt terrible. She lied to her friends, the coolest ones she ever had. They knew each other for many years but when it comes to Peyton, it's another thing. She would chose her over anyone. The brunette felt bad for not answering Peyton's text messages so she decided to join her at Deb's house. When she got there, she was Peyton coming out. She saw the lights into the parking lot.

"Where the hell is my son?" Peyton screamed. "Are you nuts?"

Brooke walked to her. "He's with my mom, silly."

"You should have tell me, I was about to pass out." Peyton looked sick. "I thought he was with you, I was.."

Brooke interrupted. "Listen to me Peyton Sawyer. I would never do something like that because I love you so much and I love Charlie so much, I care about your feelings."

"I'm so sorry Brooke, I'm.. I'm stupid. I'm crazy." Peyton stammered.

"They all know that you are here Peyton, Deb told them." Brooke admitted, randomly. She had to do it. "Their reaction was good, they looked happy."

"She told my dad that she would keep the secret for now. Damn it." Peyton was pissed off. Nothing was going as planned. Her whole set up turned into a mess. The blond-haired woman started to cry. She couldn't keep her emotions to herself anymore.

"I think it's time to face the reality , and I'll be there for you. And for Charlie." Brooke Davis confided. She hugged her best friend and whispered to her ears. "I think that Charlie will be happy to have these amazing persons in his life. They would do a lot of him, you know."

"Maybe you are right.." Peyton whispered. "Can you do me a favour?"

"Anything for you." Brooke laughed.

Peyton breathed. "Go check on Charlie, I will stay with Larry and I'll comeback later. I don't want you to sound like a babysitter but I just need time to think about everything. It's big decisions for me."

"Do not worry. I'll check on Baby Sawyer, take your time. He is safe with me."

Peyton smiled as she tried to dry her tears. "I love you Brooke Davis."

Brooke Davis got back into her car and Peyton stayed outside alone. Her stomach hurt her a bit. She was stressed by everything. She finally decided to say goodbye to her father and wanted to go at a place where she used to feel safe. Peyton decided to go back in her childhood house. Even if Larry wasn't living there anymore, he told her that it was now her house. She could do everything she wanted with it.

When she got there, she felt many emotions at the same time. Just as she opened the door, her whole body was shaking. Anxiety? Yes, it was anxiety. After the birth of her son, she got diagnosed with it. She tried to control it with a good routine: work at Clothes Over Bro's, nights spent with her son and Brooke. Nothing that could cause stress. But being in Tree Hill was very difficult for her. When she entered into the living room, she remembered all the memories she had in that room when she was young. Peyton used to watch movies with her mother every Saturday night. She was able to imagine it again.

She missed the smell of that house. She missed the good vibes. Peyton felt safe at home. She finally went up the stairs and got into her old bedroom.

The bed was messy, like it was the last time she saw it. The day she left Tree Hill, she didn't clean her room. Her computer desk was full of stuff. An uncompleted sketch was there. Everything was the same. For a minute, Peyton Sawyer felt like the seventeen years old lost girl who wanted to get some changes in her life because she lost almost everything she had.

She decided to turn her computer on. She used to have a website where people could watch her. Last time she logged in was on her last night in Tree Hill. In five years, technology advanced and her computer was so slow. Peyton laughed as she got on her website and turned her webcam on.

Then, she looked at her record collection and choose an album to listen to: Disintegration by The Cure. It was a classic but so good to listen in her bedroom. Peyton finally laid on her bed, like she used to do before but this time it was a little bit different. Boys weren't the first thing she thought about. Her priorities changed. Love wasn't one anymore. Her family and friends were everything to her. She tried to find a way to introduce her son to Haley, Nathan and everyone. She wanted to do it the perfect way to not scare her son. He was a shy boy, sometimes insecure. Peyton was trying to make him feel comfortable with people she was close to.

The blond-haired girl fell asleep somewhere in time. Her brain worked probably too much that day and the stressful event she had didn't help her.

* * *

 **I hope you enjoyed the third chapter.**  
 **Thank you so much everyone for your reviews. I got so many for the two chapters I posted.**  
 **I'm glad you enjoy the fanfiction.**

 **Stay tuned for more chapters to come.**


	4. Chapter 4

When Peyton Sawyer woke up, she was blinded by the sun. At first, she was confused. She looked at the clock right beside her bed. It was 10am. She slept for at least 11 hours in a row. She couldn't remember the last time she had such a long night. She was in a pretty good shape. Peyton wanted to get into the shower but she remembered that she had no clothes in her childhood house. She gained a few pounds after the birth of Charlie and her old jeans wouldn't fit on her anymore. She stood up in a hurry and went into her father's bedroom. She looked into the drawers and found out a plaid shirt. It would fit perfectly. She ran back into her bedroom, looked everywhere and found a pair of leggings. They probably belonged to Brooke Davis. They would fit.

Peyton took a fast shower and tied her hair. She wasn't a huge fan of tied hair but when she became a mother, it was a must for her. She looked at her phone and noticed 5 missing calls from Brooke. She laughed. Her best friend was probably worried to not see her in the morning. Peyton sent a quick text to Brooke, telling her that she slept in her old house.

The young mother missed her son so badly. She decided to head back at Brooke's house and to enjoy the whole day with her boy who grew up maybe a little bit too fast.

As soon as she get at Brooke's house, she heard her son's laugh coming from upstairs. She went up and found Brooke and Charlie looking at cartoons in Brooke's bed. Peyton smiled.

"Well.. I guess I did not miss you at all." Peyton said ironically.

Charlie stood up in the bed. "Mommy!" He screamed.

"Come here baby boy, I wanna hug you." Peyton told her son. "How are you doing ?"

"Good. I'm late for work but it's worth it." Brooke admitted. "He missed you."

Peyton was now holding her son in her arms. "I missed him too."

"By the way, what the hell are you wearing? Is that Larry's shirt and.. my leggings?" Brooke laughed.

"Yeah probably, that's all I found." Peyton explained. Her son had laid his head on her neck. "What are your plans for today?"

"Gonna go to the store, I'll comeback late. What about you?"

Peyton breathed. Her night alone helped her to make her mind clear. She sat down and dropped her son beside her. She looked at her best friend. It was now an important topic.

"I'm considering to move permanently in my dad's house. I just need to make a room for Charlie and to do some changes in general." The blond-haired explained. "Not that I don't wanna stay with you but this house has a history and I think that we could continue to write down the chapters."

Brooke smiled. "Yeah, I know and it's a good idea. Just set up your things, take your time. If you're not ready to comeback at work, I will understand."

"I'll go back to work next week, that's why I want to set everything up this week." Peyton said. "I'll go check for furnitures and decoration today."

Charlie looked excited. "Can we paint my room in blue? Please mommy!"

"Of course baby! Aunt Brooke and I will do something amazing, you'll be amazed." Peyton admitted. She winked to Brooke. "Go get dressed Charlie, we'll spend the whole day together."

Charlie ran to his bedroom while Peyton kept talking about her plans to Brooke. She was ready to move into Larry's room. Like she used to stay, that's baby steps. She wanted to buy new kitchenware and to change some stuff in the whole house. When Charlie came back, he was all ready to leave with his mother. Peyton stood up and said goodbye to Brooke. Anyways, the brunette had to leave for work in the next hour. Peyton explained to her son that they were going downtown in a hardware store because she had to buy paint to do some change up in her childhood house.

They took at least a full hour to choose the right colours for Charlie's bedroom. The little boy chose navy blue and cobalt blue. He even asked his mother to have a rock and roll related decoration. Peyton introduced him into the rock culture when he was a little baby. He used to dance on songs from NOFX and Nirvana. He was just like his mother and he was only four years old.

When they got out of the store, Peyton had spent at least 400$ but Charlie was really happy. It was almost lunch time but before going to a restaurant, she wanted to bring her son somewhere. A place where she spent her whole life gossiping with her friends, crying for boys and enjoying life with the whole gang. She decided to go to the Rivercourt and was excited about it.

Unfortunately, as soon as she arrived there, her heart was beating very fast. She wanted to stay in the car and to drive back but Charlie was excited to see a Basketball court. He used to watch the sport sometimes but he wasn't a big fan. He never played the sport because according to Peyton, he was too young.

Peyton noticed a longtime friend on the court with two children. She was stressed to see him back but she finally got down the car as Charlie did. She walked slowly to the court and interrupted a wannabe basketball match.

"Well.. well. Nathan Scott!" Peyton exclaimed. "Long time no see like we say."

The tall brown haired man turned around. He seemed confused and surprised. "Peyton. Wow! Hi."

"What's up man? I'm happy to see you." Peyton asked as she hugged her friend.

"Doing better, as you may now I got involved in a fight. I couldn't walk for months but things are doing better." Nathan explained. He smiled, he was happy to see Peyton. "I see that you ended up as a babysitter? Well, it doesn't change. Remember when you used to look at Jake's daughter?"

"Well.. Not exactly.. Nathan. I wanna introduce you to my son, Charlie Sawyer." She panted. Peyton was stressed to announce this new.

Nathan looked surprised. He couldn't believe it. "Wow.. I didn't know. Well.. He just look like you." He turned around and looked at the two children who were laughing behind him. "You see them? The blond little boy is my son, James Lucas Scott."

"I saw his picture at Brooke's. He is so cute. I'm happy for you and Haley, Nate." Peyton smirked. She looked at her son. "Charlie, say hi to my friend Nathan Scott."

"Hi, I'm Charlie." The little boy whispered. "Can I go play with the kids mommy?"

Peyton nodded. "Of course baby."

Nathan invited Peyton to sit down on the benches. They had to catch up five years.

"By the way, you didn't introduce me to the little girl. Is that your daughter?" Peyton laughed.

"She is my cousin." Nathan admitted.

Peyton looked confused. "Your cousin?"

"When Haley and I got married, Karen found out she was pregnant by Keith." The man explained. "It wasn't easy for her with Keith gone but Lily is making her so happy and Lucas too."

Peyton heard about the wedding by Brooke but never heard about Karen and Haley's pregnancies. She used to be really close of Karen Roe when she lived in Tree Hill. It's a shock for Peyton but a good one. It's good for her to hear that her close relationships are doing great. Nathan told her how amazing it was for them to win the High School basketball championship. They talked for an hour. Nathan told everything to Peyton: Haley's teaching career, how Jamie is an awesome son and how Peyton's departure was tough for the whole gang.

Peyton tried to be honest and told her friend that it was tough for her to deal with the pregnancy and the only person she was able to talk to was her father and Brooke Davis. Thankfully, Nathan understood.

Time past fast and Charlie looked a little bit tired. He approached his mother and seemed done with everything. "Mommy, I'm tired."

"I guess that it's time to leave." Peyton said to Nathan. "I will be at Larry's.. well my house tonight. I'm painting Charlie's room. Haley, Jamie and you could come tonight if you want."

"That's a great idea, I will speak with Haley but I'm pretty sure that she will be overjoyed to see you." Nathan admitted.

"Okay.. Then.. See you later Nate." She stammered.

* * *

It was past 6pm and the dinner was over in the Scott house. James Lucas Scott was playing a Basketball game on the playstation while Nathan and Haley were sat in the kitchen. He told his wife about Peyton. She was glad to hear that everything is going well for her.

"Of course I'd be glad to go to her house for a drink." Haley announced.

"Then let's go, I'm pretty sure that she will need our help for painting." Nathan laughed. He didn't want to tell his wife about Charlie but Jamie did. He loved to spend time with him. "She's decorating her son's room."

"Yeah, about that son thing.. This is so weird. I mean. Is it Pete's?" Haley asked with curiosity. "I mean, I know it's not our business but I'm curious."

"If she wants to tell us about it, she will." He concluded. "Now let's get ready and let's go at Peyton's."

* * *

As Nathan promised to Peyton, they arrived in family. When Peyton Sawyer opened the door, she couldn't contain her joy to see her friend, Haley James Scott. Haley jumped into Peyton's arm.

"I can't believe you are here, it's been forever!" Haley shouted.

"Gosh, Hales." Peyton was shaking. Even if it was a stressful situation, it was one of the best feeling ever. "Come in guys, don't stay outside."

And then for a complete evening, Peyton felt completed. Her biggest secret — Charlie — was loved by Haley and Nathan. He even made a new friend, Jamie Scott. They spoke about everything like they used to do before. Nathan, Haley and Peyton painted Charlie's room together while the kids watched a movie. The blond-haired woman doesn't have any regrets related to her comeback. For five years, she felt like if her whole life missed something and that night, reunited with her long time friends, she knew that she felt lonely because she had to have them by her side. She couldn't wait to see Mouth and Skills again. All her stress turned into adrenaline.

Peyton Elizabeth Sawyer was ready to start all over again in Tree Hill now that she had her friends by her side.

* * *

 **I hope that you guys enjoyed this chapter. The next one will be more emotional.**  
 **Get ready.**  
 **See you soon and thank you guys for reviewing. This is so important for me.**  
 **Thank you for being so nice & thank you all for your sweet messages. **

**If you have any comments, keep sharing.**


	5. Chapter 5

Three days has past and Peyton Sawyer was busy as a bee. She has been redecorating the whole house and has forgot that she had a social life outside. Charlie was happy to finally have his own bedroom. His walls were blue and had United States themed bed sheets. It looked like a modern room. He was the proudest little guy. Peyton decided to keep her bedroom like it used to be before, she would continue to write the story but she changed the living room furnitures and even the kitchen ones. She couldn't wait to show her work to her friends.

It was the first day that she could relax in her house. Peyton woke up early that morning, ate breakfast and watched cartoons with her son. She hasn't got news from Brooke Davis since the morning she met Nathan. She has been pretty quiet with her friends because she wanted to spend time with Charlie. Peyton had nothing planned for the day. She just wanted to stay home but Charlie did not agree with his mother.

"I wanna play with Jamie!" Charlie said angrily. "I'm always alone."

Peyton laughed. "But Jamie has probably some things to do with his parents, baby."

"But.. are you sure mom?" The little boy asked.

"Sometimes I wonder if you're really 4 years-old." Peyton sighed. She looked at her son. "Look.. go get dressed and I will call Nathan and Haley, who knows.. maybe Jamie will be able to come here."

"Ohhhh! Cool." Charlie seemed amazed.

The kid ran to his bedroom while Peyton texted her friend, Nathan Scott. In 10 minutes, everything was settled. Nathan would pick Charlie at Peyton's and he would bring the two kids in a amusement park. He reported that Haley was gone in a shopping mall with her sister, Quinn James. She was in town for the next week because Thanksgiving is approaching. Peyton was okay with that and decided that it would be the perfect moment to visit her father who called a lot in the past days. Deborah was working at the Tric and the Karen's Café with her friend and business partner, Karen Roe. She couldn't take care of Larry so he spent his days alone in her big house.

Right after Nathan picked up Charlie, Peyton left to Deborah's house. When she got there, she entered as usual. Larry had difficulties to get up. His cancer was hard and he felt weak. She found her father laying on the couch. He seemed happy to see his daughter.

"Hi Peyton." He whispered. "Nice to see you."

Peyton sat down beside him. She smiled. "Hey dad. How are you?"

"Well.. Good, I guess." Larry said. "Are you done with the painting and the decoration?"

Peyton laughed. "Yeah. Finally." She answered. "I will show you on Thanksgiving, you'll be surprised."

"I'm sure I will."

She stayed for two hours with her father. He explained that he enjoys being at Deborah's and that she was a great friend for him. Peyton was happy for her dad. He used to be alone when she was a teenager. He had a short affair with Karen Roe but they choose to stay friends which was a good idea because she couldn't imagine to have Karen as a mother-in-law. She was a great person but it would have been too weird for her.

Peyton left when Larry fell asleep. She had nothing to do because Charlie was gone with Nathan and Jamie and Brooke was probably working at the store but she decided to go to Clothes Over Bro's and annoy her best friend.

The store was almost empty when she entered. Brooke was standing behind the counter desk with Millicent Huxtable, her personal assistant. Both girls smiled. Peyton approached them.

"That's pretty calm for a Saturday afternoon, damn it!" Peyton noticed. "By the way, hi Brooke. Hi Millie."

"What's up ?" Brooke said. She looked at Millicent. "We were talking about you, sweetie."

Millicent laughed. "Yeah. Brooke told me that you're coming back to work on Monday."

"I'm supposed to but I need to find a babysitter for Charlie." Peyton explained. "It's not easy you know."

"My boyfriend and his roomies are babysitting Jamie Scott, maybe he'd like to handle Charlie too." Millicent announced.

Peyton looked surprised. "You have a boyfriend here in Tree Hill? Wow. Been a while since we catch up. Who's that lucky guy?"

"Marvin McFadden." Millicent said.

Brooke laughed. Peyton's reaction was priceless. She looked confused. "Yeah Peyton. Mouth. Our Mouth."

"Well.. wow. Been a while since I saw Mouth, we need to catch up I think." Peyton chuckled.

"We will have time to catch up tonight. There's something planned at the Tric tonight and everyone will be there." Brooke chirped. "Haley's sister will take care of Jamie and Victoria is in Tree Hill, she offered to babysit Charlie.. You know how much she loves him."

Surprised, Peyton almost choked. "Tonight? Why the hell you tell me this right now, I have nothing to wear."

"You could wear your "I-Pretend-To-Be-A-Rockstar" outfit, it fits perfectly on you." Brooke Davis joked. "Anyway, go get ready. You look like a mess."

"Should I thank you?" Peyton said ironically. "I'll just look for a dress here."

Millicent chuckled. "Good, that's sales for the boutique."

Peyton took at least forty five minutes to choose a proper dress for the little party at the TRIC club. She found a black dress with a white collar. She would wear fishnet and her black leather boots with it. Her outfit would be incredible.

She got back at her house and found Victoria Davis standing in front of her house. She laughed. Mrs. Davis looked angry as hell.

"Hey Victoria. What are you doing here?"

Victoria breathed heavily. "My daughter told me that I could find your son here, I'm supposed to check on him."

"Well.. He's gone for now, he will be back in maybe.. two hours." Peyton explained.

"Great. Thanks to my amazing daughter again, I'm losing my goddamn time now." Mrs. Davis spat. "I'll comeback around 6pm to see if the little prince is here."

"Okay then..."

Peyton didn't have time to say goodbye. Victoria was already back in her car. "Is she crazy?" Peyton said to herself as she entered her house. She kept laughing when she tought about Victoria's reaction. The blond-haired got into the shower and got ready after. She straightened her hair and did her makeup while blasting some good music. Around 5pm, Charlie came back from his incredible afternoon with Nathan and his new friend, Jamie. They had fun.

Peyton cooked some Mac and Cheese while her son told her about his day. She was happy to see that her son was getting along with a child. She hoped that Jamie and him would get closer with the years.

As she told her before, Victoria arrived around 6pm and seemed ready to spend the night with Charlie. It was weird to see that a woman who doesn't have respect for her own daughter loves a child more that she loves herself for once. Brooke and Peyton never understood why Victoria was so nice towards Charlie. Well, the two girls couldn't complain.

Around 7pm, a taxi picked Peyton from her house. When she got to the TRIC club, Brooke Davis and Haley James were standing outside. They screamed when they saw Peyton arriving.

"You look good P. Sawyer. What a sexy woman." Brooke shouted.

"Well, thank you Brooke." She said as she hugged her bestfriend. "Hey Hales. You look pretty good."

"Thanks Peyton, so do you." Haley confirmed. "I'm ready to party, it's been forever. With Jamie, I couldn't go out as I wanted and then Nathan got his accident. Glad that everything is behind us now."

Peyton smiled. "Let's just forget about the past and let's focus on the upcoming things."

"You're right." Brooke said. "Let's go inside, the boys are already there."

They walked inside. It was still early and there was only a few people. In the crowd, Peyton noticed her friends Skills Taylor and Mouth McFadden. She hugged them. She was happy to learn that Mouth found a job in his career field and that Skills was coaching the Tree Hill Ravens.

"It was pretty obvious Skills, I know how much this team was important for you." Peyton said.

"I'm coach assistant baby, but it's the same." Skills explained. "Our pal, Luke is doing a great job. Whitey is kinda jealous, I'd say."

"Luke? Like Lucas Scott?" Peyton seemed shocked.

"C'mon blondie, are you kidding me? Of course I'm talking 'bout Lucas Scott." Skills laughed.

Peyton ran away. She had not heard of Lucas Scott for years. Knowing he is now the head coach of Tree Hill Ravens was weird for her. She joined Haley and Brooke who were sitting at the bar. She was about to order a drink when her heart almost stopped. Peyton nearly vomited at the bar. Her heart was beating so fast and she did not know how to react.

"Peyton." A woman said.

Brooke followed her. She entered the bathroom and went to the sink. Her throat was burning. She couldn't feel her eyes. Peyton didn't know if it was pain, sadness or anger. Brooke put a hand on her back. The blond-haired started to cry.

"What the hell is she doing here?" Peyton yelled. She threw her handbag in the wall. "You knew it, Brooke."

"I didn't know that Ellie was working tonight, I swear." Brooke hesitated.

"Damn it. I.. Shit." Peyton sobbed. "I'm hurt Brooke. I can't believe she left me again when I needed it and now she's back and had talked to me."

Brooke didn't know what to do. "I'm so sorry Peyton, I.."

"I need to be alone Brooke."

Peyton Sawyer walked out of the bathroom. She was hiding her face behind her hand and went outside. She sat in the stairs and thought about the last night she spent with Ellie. Peyton was 17 years-old and Ellie stayed over for the night because there was a rainstorm in Tree Hill. For the first time in her life, Peyton was happy to share a moment like that with someone that she could consider as a family member. During that period, Larry was still working on ships and Anna was dead. Elizabeth Harp was the only family member she had close to her and she killed the good vibe by leaving. She waited for her biological mother for so long.

She tried to go at her place but the house was empty and then, the Tree Hill High shooting happened and she couldn't walk but she tried to join her on IM AND by phone. Nothing. Not a single answer.

She was shaking. She just wanted to leave the club but her feelings were so mixed up. Peyton went back to the bar and joined her friends again. She did not say anything. Ellie approached again.

"Give me a bottle of redwine." Peyton ordered.

Ellie looked at her daughter. "Peyton.."

"Listen to me." Peyton yelled. "Don't even start with your bullshit. Don't even tell me that you're sorry. You fucking left me alone, I got shot in the leg and it was all over the news. You never called me to see if I was okay. I tried to see you. I tried to join you. I was so sad. You left me again and I can't forgive you."

Brooke breathed. "Peyton please, calm down."

"Hell no. I'm not gonna CALM DOWN!" She screamed. "Now give me my bottle of wine and I don't wanna hear anything. I don't wanna hear your life full of lies again."

As soon as she got her bottle of wine, Peyton sat down somewhere in the club. She was away from her friend and could think about everything. She was drinking, crying and trying to understand what just happened. The blond-haired exploded but she had the right to do this. She couldn't handle being hurt again. Time past and Peyton finally got back to her friends. She was a little bit drunk and her face was messy. She approached Brooke who was chatting with Nathan Scott and his wife Haley.

"Guys.. I'm gonna go home." Peyton announced. "I'm sorry, I.. I overreacted but I didn't know what to do."

Nathan looked at his friend. "You should stay with us. Don't let your past destroy you again."

"Well.. It's complicated." She answered. "I'm just gonna go outside and if I feel like coming back, well I will. Right?"

"Stay safe please." Haley said.

Peyton walked fast to the exit but she unfortunately bumped into two guys. She raised her head and was speechless.

"Oh. Hi Peyton." A brown haired guy said.

She looked at the other one. She thought that it was the alcohol effect but.. no.

Lucas Scott. Jake Jaglieski.

She could not even talk.

* * *

 **Happy Thanksgiving to the coolest readers.**  
 **I hope you had a pretty nice day with your family.**

 **Thank you for your reviews and I hope you enjoyed this chapter.**


	6. Chapter 6

Peyton woke up in her bed and couldn't remember exactly what happened at the TRIC club. She remembered that she bumped into Lucas Scott and Jake Jaglieski but after that, everything was dark. Her head was in pain, even her back. She looked at the clock beside her best. It was 1pm. The blond-haired stood up fast. She thought about her son. Where was he? Who took care of him the whole morning? She went down the stairs and sighed. Haley James Scott was in the living room with her son, Jamie and Charlie. She smiled at Peyton but the blond-haired looked at her completely lost.

"Good morning, Peyton." Haley said. She laughed. "Slept well?"

"What are you doing here? What the hell is going on?" Peyton asked.

Haley James Scott laughed again. "You fainted in the middle of the TRIC club. Probably because you drank too fast and you did not control your emotions."

"I.. I what? Fainted?" She stammered.

"Yes, ma'am. Brooke called a taxi and she spent the whole night here but she had to go to work so she called me to check on you." Haley explained to her good friend. "You were a true dragon lady last night."

"I screamed at Ellie, bumped into Jake and Lucas. What else?" Peyton questioned shyly.

"I think it's enough."

Peyton sat down beside Haley after she got a bottle of water in the fridge. She couldn't believe that she fainted but it explained why her body was in a huge pain. She took her son in her arms and he sat down on his mother. She looked at Haley and was about to cry, again.

"I can't believe that it happened. I'm cursed." The blond-haired whispered.

"You're not cursed, you just live in a small town of North Carolina and everyone between 21 and 30 years old is hanging out at the TRIC." Haley commented. "Plus, you couldn't know that Ellie was working there."

"Thanks for not seeing me as a monster." Peyton said.

"I think you should get a shower before I leave, then go out for a walk. You need fresh air." Haley suggested.

Peyton smirked. "Good idea. Thanks for caring, Hales."

"That's what friends are made for."

She went up the stairs and got into the shower. Peyton sat down in it as a little girl and started to cry. She remembered what she said to Ellie. Not that she felt guilty about it but she felt free. She just told her everything she had in mind for five years. Peyton Sawyer felt relieved. She prefered to cry alone than to cry in front of the others.

She washed her hair, took time to get her things together before going back downstairs. She decided to wear a Green Day t-shirt with ripped jeans and tied her hair.

Peyton thanked Haley for everything as soon as she went back downstairs. Haley finally left because she had something planned with Jamie and her sister. The blond-haired decided to go out for a walk with her son. Charlie got ready and showed his mom his new favorite toy.

"Jamie gave me that this morning, it's so cool mommy!" The kid said.

Peyton smirked. "A ball? I guess you'll like it."

"Yes! I like to play with Jamie." He giggled.

"What if we go try this ball at the Rivercourt?" Peyton asked.

Charlie laughed. "Mommy, can you play basketball?"

"Kinda." Peyton answered. "Are you ready to go? What about a walk?"

"So cool!"

Peyton decided to walk to the Rivercourt with her son. The little boys was playing with his new ball all the way to the place. The blond-haired smiled. She was so amazed by her son. Everyday was special, every second was different. That's why she enjoys every moments spent with Charlie because she knows that he will grow up too fast. After 30 minutes of walk, they got to the basketball court.

Peyton noticed that a man was standing on the court. She could regonize him in a crowd of a thousand. Lucas Scott, the guy that she bumped into was shooting alone. He smiled when he saw her.

In a hurry, Charlie ran to the court while Lucas Scott approached Peyton.

"You're not gonna faint today, are you?" He laughed.

Peyton seemed kind of angry. "That's not funny."

"I'm sorry." Lucas apologized. "It's good to see you."

Peyton smirked. "Yeah."

"Jamie told me about your son, he's so happy to have a new friend." Lucas announced. He laughed. "Charlie, right?"

Peyton looked at her son and then she looked at Lucas again. "That's his name."

A small silence took place. Lucas broke it after a minute. "So, you're back in town?"

"Mostly because of Larry. I enjoyed New York." Peyton said.

"Different of Tree Hill, I can admit." Lucas nodded.

"My son seems to enjoy Tree Hill, he did not have any children to play with in New York." She explained. "I'm happy he got to meet Jamie. And your sister too."

"Oh. My little Lily. An amazing little girl." Lucas cooed. He looked happy.

"I'm happy for your mother, she deserves a lot." Peyton said. "I remember how heartbroken she was when.. well.." She stopped.

"When Dan killed Keith." Lucas continued. "You can say it. It hurts but we're looking at the future now."

Peyton could remember that day. Lucas saved her. He brought her outside the school library, she was unconscious. Right after they got out the school, according to her friends, Dan shoot on his brother. It broke everyone's heart, especially Lucas and Karen's. Keith Scott was an amazing guy and Peyton was happy that Karen got to have a baby from the man she loved. As long as she could remember, they were supposed to get married.

Peyton did not talk a lot. She kept watching her son who had fun even if he was a little bit too small to hit the basket.

Lucas breathed. "I heard that you have an amazing job at Clothes Over Bros."

"Yeah. That's a cool job." Peyton approved. "Going back to work tomorrow, not ready for it."

He smiled. It was an awkward moment. Peyton moved a little bit. She didn't feel really comfortable. She walked a little bit closer to her son. He seemed to have fun.

"Is everything okay baby boy?" Peyton asked.

The little boy nodded. "Yes mommy, don't worry."

Lucas felt like if he shouldn't be there anymore. Peyton was a bit cold with him like if she was forced to answer his questions. He decided to get to his car but Peyton noticed it.

"Luke. Wait." She shouted. "I'm sorry."

Lucas laughed nervously. "It's okay. I'm leaving, the atmosphere is too weird."

"Don't act like that. I said that I'm sorry." She repeated.

He got in his car and left. Peyton sighed and became a little bit angry.

Angry at herself. She had difficulties to talk with people especially Lucas. When she left Tree Hill, their relationship was weird because Brooke was in a relationship with him at that time but it didn't last. Peyton tried to put her emotions together and then, she joined her son. He was alone and looked so innocent. She was proud of him. Everything he did amazed her. Charlie seems fed up to play basketball alone. Of course, he was not able to reach the basket because he was too small. Peyton asked him if he wanted to go back home and he said yes.

Charlie stopped walking. Peyton waited. "What's going on baby?"

"Can I go at Jamie's house?" He asked.

"He's probably spending time with his mommy and daddy." Peyton answered.

"Yeah.. his daddy." The little boy whispered.

Peyton sighed. "Why are you so sad?"

"Because I don't have a daddy to play basketball with, or a daddy to have fun with."

* * *

 **Shorter chapter, but I think that you're all happy that we finally saw Lucas.**

 **Are you still enjoying the story? Keep reviewing, I like it.**

 **See you soon guys!**


	7. Chapter 7

Still overwhelmed by what she heard from her son, Peyton Sawyer was sit in her living room. She was waiting for Brooke to come. She did not know how to handle all of this. As soon as they got home, Charlie went upstairs and Peyton called Brooke. His son was not happy and she felt like it was her fault. The time has past slowly but Brooke Davis finally made it to her best friend's house. The brunette seemed worried when she entered the house.

"You scared me P. Sawyer." She said. "What's going on?"

Peyton sighed. "I'm the worst mother ever."

"Uh oh. Something went wrong, am I right?" Brooke asked as she sat beside her friend. "I mean, something went wrong with Charlie."

"He sort of blamed me because he doesn't have a father." Peyton spat. She seemed shocked but mostly, sad. "He's so brillant Brooke. He's a little boy but a vulnerable one."

Brooke put her arm on Peyton's back. "Stop it. Don't blame yourself for this. You were seventeen, you were scared."

"I definitively fucked up everything." The blond-haired woman admitted. "I should have listened to you."

Brooke sighed. "Listened to me about what?"

"The day that Charlie was born, when I called you. You told me that I should call Lucas to tell him all the truth." Peyton breathed heavily. "I wasn't able to do it. You broke up with him because you said that you felt like a friend, not like a lover. I'm sure he was sad. I did not want him to be destroyed."

"Lucas is a strong guy, a good one. He would have understood, especially when his own father ran away from him when he was a baby." Brooke explained to her best friend. "He would have been there for you and for Baby Sawyer."

Peyton and Brooke spent a full hour talking about everything that could scare the blonde-haired mother. Lucas was Charlie's father and she could not change anything about it. Even if the little boy looked a lot like his mother, he had Lucas' eyes. When Brooke left, Peyton joined her son in his bedroom. He was laying on the floor and drawing something. She sat beside him and looked at her son's drawing.

"What are you drawing?" Peyton asked softly.

"That's me, Jamie and Nathan when we went to the amusement park." He just said.

Peyton sighed. "Will you give it to Nathan?"

"Yes mom." He nodded. "I like Nathan, he's cool."

"I'm going back to work tomorrow but what if I ask Nathan to stay with you this week? You could play with Jamie every day." Peyton questioned her son. She knew that he would enjoy the proposal.

"Really? Please mommy!" The kid dropped his coloring pencil.

"Just for this week, I need to find you a babysitter." Peyton explained.

"That's perfect!"

She knew exactly how to make him happy. Peyton stoopd up and looked at her son with tears in her eyes. He was so beautiful, so perfect. She got back downstairs and called Nathan about her idea. He accepted it with job. Since he got his accident, he couldn't do anything but taking care of his son. Having another kid with them would be perfect, especially for Jamie. And both boys are getting along.

When she woke up the next morning, Peyton was terribly not motivated to go back to work. She woke up her son who looked pretty excited to spend the whole day with his friend Jamie and Nathan. When they were both ready, the blonde-haired woman drove her son to the Scott's house. Charlie dropped a kiss on his mom cheek and joined Nathan who waited for him outside. Peyton smiled at her long time friend.

As soon as she got to the Clothes Over Bro's store, she looked already fed up. Brooke was sat behind the counterdesk and smiled when she noticed her best friend.

"We're only opening in thirty minutes and you're already here, wow!" Brooke joked. "You should be employee of the month."

Peyton laughed. "I just drove Charlie to Nathan's so I decided to come here."

"Good decision." Brooke said. "We got a lot of work in front of us today, especially you. You need to update the website, look at the December magazine and make sure that every it looks beautiful. Also, make sure to answer every emails about the Winter collection because Millicent won't be able to do it today, she has so much more to do."

The blonde-haired seemed done with everything. She had a big day ahead. Peyton suddenly remembered how much she hated to work in an office. Clothes Over Bro's saved Peyton Sawyer for four years but was ready to move on.

Around noon, Brooke asked Peyton to go out for lunch but the blonde-haired declined. She had so much to do and she did not want to quit the store at 8pm. Surprisingly, Peyton has been quiet all day long. When she was about to leave around 5pm, she stopped in front of Brooke.

"I.. I wanna thank you for the job, ." She said softly. "But these two weeks off showed me how much I hated it."

Brooke seemed surprised. "Oh. I.. I don't know what to say Peyton, I thought you loved it."

"It was cool at first but I think it's time to move on." Peyton explained. "I'll end the whole week then I'm done."

* * *

 **Surprised by Peyton's decision? Do you think that Brooke is upset?**  
 **See you soon for the next chapter.**

 **Loved it, review it. ;)**


	8. IMPORTANT

**Hey everyone  
**  
 **It's unfortunately finals time which mean that until December 20th, I don't know if I will be able to post updates. Make sure to read my new fanfiction, Choosing My Own Way of Life, newly posted on the website. Some chapters are already written and are waiting to be posted.  
**  
 **While this "hiatus" until I'm done with my exams, if you have any advices for me for the next chapter, I'll be happy to read your messages.**

 **Thank you and Happy Holidays**  
 **Thank you for reviewing and supporting me. It means a lot.**

 **PunkMagicFairy**


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